Pope Francis Condemns Child Exploitation in General Audience, Criticizes Global Economic System
Pope Francis Photo: @Pontifex
January 8, 2025 Hour: 6:48 pm
In a general audience held this Wednesday at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis delivered a searing indictment of the global treatment of children, focusing on the pervasive issues of child labor and exploitation.
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The Pope lamented that too many children are “mistreated, wounded, or abandoned” around the world, pointing specifically to the “scourge of child labor, still rampant.”
According to a report on Vatican News, Pope Francis denounced the exploitation of children by an economic system that “does not respect life” and “burns the greatest deposit of hope and love.” He emphasized that children are being “forced to work,” robbed of their childhoods, and their smiles erased.
He stressed, “a child who does not dream will not be able to know or make his or her talents flourish,” while also calling for the prevention and condemnation of any form of abuse suffered by minors.
Pope Francis also urged reflection on the countless children who die from hunger, disasters, diseases, and wars. He noted that rather than being loved and protected, these children are “stripped of their childhoods, of their dreams.”
Autor: OSG
Fuente: PL